The Ultimate Gift: Mother Carries Baby to Term to Donate Organs

Image: Keri Young/Instagram

By Hannah Schenker

It takes a special kind of person to think of others in their darkest hour. Keri Young is that kind of person. After getting the unthinkable news that her growing baby did not have a brain and would not survive long once born, Keri asked through her tears whether she could donate her daughter Eva’s organs to other babies in need.

The Young family have since had their baby daughter Eva, welcomed her Earth-side and also said goodbye. She was born and passed away on 17 April. Keri shared this remarkable photo on Instagram:

A post shared by Keri Young (@keriyoung) on Apr 18, 2017 at 7:00am PDT

Keri’s husband Royce wrote about the moment Keri made that decision, on Facebook. The moment when he watched his beautiful wife turn her heartache into a gift for someone else. A moment that is so tender and selfless, it brings you to tears.

On February 18, Royce wrote:

“The other night, before I left for New Orleans, I was watching my beautiful wife sleep peacefully on the couch.”

“I looked at her laying there, her belly big with our daughter kicking away, a daughter that won’t live more than a few days, and it just overwhelmed me of how incredible this woman is.”

“I thought back to the moment where we found out Eva wasn’t perfect, and how literally 30 seconds after our doctor told us our baby doesn’t have a brain, somehow through full body ugly crying, Keri looked up and asked, “If I carry her full term, can we donate her organs?” I remember our doctor putting her hand on Keri’s shoulder and saying, “Oh honey, that’s so brave of you to say.” Like, how nice of you, but come on. Keri meant it. There I was, crestfallen and heartbroken, but I momentarily got lifted out of the moment and just stood in awe of her. I was a spectator to my own life, watching a superhero find her superpowers. In literally the worst moment of her life, finding out her baby was going to die, it took her less than a minute to think of someone else and how her selflessness could help. It’s one of the most powerful things I’ve ever experienced. In the eight years we’ve been married (and 15 years together) I’ve had a lot of moments stop me in my tracks where I thought, “holy crap, this woman I’m married to, lucky me.” But this one was different. It hit me that not only am I married to my very best friend, but to a truly remarkable, special human being.”